Prevalence of protein-calorie malnutrition in an extended care facility

The prevalence of protein-calorie malnutrition has been documented in the acute care hospital. Thirty randomly selected patients at an extended care facility were studied as to their nutritional status. Anthropometric measurements of height, weight, arm circumference, and triceps skin fold were obtained as well as laboratory studies of hematocrit, while blood cell count, albumin, and transferrin. Between 47 and 66 percent of the patients had moderate or severe protein-calorie malnutrition by anthropometric measurements, and 60 percent had a serum albumin level less than 3.5 g/100 mL. There was a significant correlation (r greater than .5) between the percent of standard weight/height and arm muscle circumference (r = .601, P less than .001) as well as triceps skin fold (r = 6.13, P less than .001). Serum albumin was highly correlated to hematocrit (r = .721, P less than .001). Sixty percent of the patients were anemic and 24 percent were leukopenic. There was no correlation between length of stay and serum albumin. Physicians will need to increase their awareness and observation of this problem in patients in extended care facilities and become cognizant of the potential detrimental effects protein-calorie malnutrition may have on the rehabilitative process.